Garment Having Biased Opening

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a garment with an opening for general access or ventilation. The opening having a closure mechanism for closing the opening. The opening further having a biasing member that tends to open the opening such that when the closure mechanism is not in the closed position, the opening is held open by the biasing member.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional application60/524,998, filed Nov. 24, 2003, titled the same, incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to garment having air ventilationopenings and, more particularly, to a garment having air ventilationopenings with an opening biased tending to open the air ventilationopenings to facilitate increased air circulation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Outerwear garments typically have openings such as vents, pockets, andaccess openings that may be opened or closed. A vent, for example, maybe opened or closed by a wearer to adjust the ventilation of thegarment. In foul or cold weather, for example, the wearer may keep thevent closed to prevent wind and rain from entering the garment. Inwarmer weather or during strenuous exercise where the wearer's bodytemperature is elevated, the wearer may choose to open one or more ventsto allow airflow into and out of the garment. The vents also allowmoisture to escape from the interior of the garment through the vent.

The vents are typically constructed as an opening in the garment (suchas a slit) that may be selectively opened or closed with a closuremechanism. Common closure mechanisms that are used include zippers, hookand loop closures, buttons, snaps, and the like. The vents also ofteninclude a mesh panel spanning the opening forming the vent to allow airand moisture to flow through the vent but block snow, leaves and otheritems from entering the garment.

When the wearer opens a vent, however, the opening forming the vent isoften only a slit in the garment that is either attached such as by azipper in a closed configuration or unattached in an open configuration.When the vent is in an open configuration, for example, the opening ofthe vent may be rather small if the edges of the slit are not separatedfrom each other. The area of the vent is able to vary depending, forexample, upon the motion of the wearer.

In one attempt to solve this problem, for example, a defined vent regionis provided over which a cover element such as a flap can be selectivelypositioned to control the effective vent area of the vent. The flap hasa size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the vent region.Thus the vent may be opened by folding the flap away from the ventregion or closed by covering the vent region.

Thus, it would be desirous to design a ventilation opening for a garmentthat facilitated airflow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a garment such as a jacket, pants,shorts, an anorak, a pullover or the like including an opening. Thegarment comprises an inner surface, an outer surface and an openingextending from the inner surface to the outer surface along at least aportion of the garment. The garment further comprises a closuremechanism for opening and closing the opening and a bias member attachedto the garment for biasing the opening towards an open configuration.The closure mechanism overcomes the biasing of the bias member when theopening is in a closed configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a garment of thepresent invention having an opening, wherein the opening is in a closedconfiguration;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, wherein theopening is in an open configuration;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 takenalong section line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 takenalong section line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a garment of thepresent invention having an opening, wherein the opening is in a closedconfiguration;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 5, wherein theopening is in an open configuration;

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a third embodiment of a garment of thepresent invention having an opening, wherein the opening is in a closedconfiguration; and

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 7, wherein theopening is in an open configuration;

FIG. 9 shows a plan view of a fourth embodiment of a garment of thepresent invention having an opening, wherein the opening is in an openconfiguration;

FIG. 10 shows a hook and loop closure device;

FIG. 11 shows a button closure device; and

FIG. 12 shows an adhesive closure device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A garment of the present invention comprises one or more openings. Theopenings, for example, may comprise a vent for allowing air to flowbetween the exterior and the interior of the garment. In anotherembodiment, the opening may comprise an opening for accessing a pocketof the garment in which a wearer may store items such as keys, wallets,gloves or other items. The opening may also comprise an opening forallowing access to the interior of the garment without removing thegarment, such as, for example, a fly or an opening adjacent to pocketsin other garments worn underneath the garment.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the invention in which agarment 20 comprises an opening 22, which may comprise a vent, anairflow opening, a pocket opening, a fly, or the like. The opening 22 isshown in a closed configuration in FIG. 1 and in an open configurationin FIG. 2. The opening 22 comprises an gap 24 formed by a slit in thegarment 20 and a closure mechanism such as the zipper 26 shown forselectably opening and closing the vent 22. Other closure mechanismsknown in the art such as hook and loop closures 1000 (shown in FIG. 10),buttons 1100 (shown in FIG. 11), pressure sensitive adhesives 1200(shown in FIG. 12) and the like may also be used. In the embodimentshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, the zipper 26 is used to open orclose the opening 22.

The opening 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 also comprises bias memberselastic 28 placed adjacent the gap 24 in the garment 14. Although FIGS.1 and 2 show bias members 28 disposed on both sides 30 and 32 of the gap24, the opening 22 may be constructed with an elastic member 28 disposedon only one side of the opening within the scope of the presentinvention. Also, the bias members 28 could be disposed either externalor internal to the garment. The bias members 28 are attached to thegarment under tension so that they bias the sides 30 and 32 away fromeach other. In other words, when zipper 26 is holding the opening 22 inthe closed position, the bias members 28 are in tension. When zipper 26is moved to the open position, as shown in FIG. 2, first end 28 f andsecond end 28 s of the bias members tend to remove the tension causingthe length of bias members to separate, which causes gap 24 to open.

The bias member 28, for example, may comprise one or more elasticmembers disposed along or generally adjacent to one or both of the sides30 and 32 of the gap 24. The bias members 28 may be located on the outersurface of the garment 20, located on the inner surface of the garment20 or located between the outer surface and the inner surface of thegarment 20. For example, a garment 20 may comprise an inner liner and anouter liner. In such an embodiment, the bias members 28 may be disposedbetween the inner and outer liners. The bias members 28 may also bedisposed at least partially within a protective layer, such as a sleeve,a channel or the like. The bias member(s) 28 may also assist ininhibiting loose fabric from the garment from fouling the tines ofzipper 26.

As shown in FIG. 1, the closure mechanism, such as the zipper 26,overcomes the tension of the bias members 28, aligns the two sides 30and 32 of the gap 24 and thus closes the gap 24 of the opening 22.

By biasing the sides 30 and 32 away from each other, the opening 22 isheld in an open configuration to prevent the sides from coming togetherduring normal wearing conditions. As shown in FIG. 3, when the opening22 is in an open configuration, the bias members 28 cause the sides 30and 32 of the opening 22 to separate. When the opening 22 is in a closedconfiguration as shown in FIG. 4, however, the closure mechanism, suchas zipper 26, overcomes the tension of the bias member 28 and closes theopening 24 along a generally flat surface of the garment 20.

The opening 22 may also comprise a mesh panel 42 spanning at least aportion of the opening to allow air and moisture to flow through thevent but block snow, leaves and other items from entering the garment.In this case, placing the bias members 28 internal to the zipper 26 butexternal to mesh panel 42 allows the bias members 28 to assist inhibitthe mesh panel 42 from fouling zipper 26.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of a vent construction fora garment 120 of the present invention in which bias members 128 extendoutward from the opening 124. Although a plurality of bias members 128are shown, opening 124 could be sufficiently biased with a single biasmember 128. Although the bias members 128 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 extendaway from the opening 124 generally perpendicular to the zipper 126 ofthe vent 122 when the vent 122 is in a closed configuration, the biasmembers 128 may also extend at any other angle from the zipper 126sufficient to bias the sides 130 and 132 away from each other.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bias members 128 are attached to thegarment 120 away from the vent 122 at first ends 134 and are attached tothe garment 122 generally adjacent to or at the sides 130 and 132 of thevent 122 at second ends 136 of the bias members 128. The bias members128 preferably comprise elastic members attached to the garment 120under tension. Thus, the bias members 128 bias the sides 130 and 132 ofthe vent away from each other. When the vent 122 is in an openconfiguration such as shown in FIG. 5, the sides 130 and 132 vent 122are held apart from each other by the elastic forces imparted by thebias members 128. Because the bias members 128 are attached to thegarment so that the bias members 128 are under tension when the vent 122is in a closed configuration, as shown in FIG. 6, the bias members stilltend to pull the sides 130 and 132 apart when the vent 122 is in aclosed configuration, but the closure mechanism, such as zipper 126,overcomes the tension of the bias members 128, and aligns the two sides130 and 132 of the opening 124 and thus closes the opening 124 of thevent 122.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of a vent construction 222 of thepresent invention in which bias members 228 bias the sides 230 and 232of the vent 222 away from each other when the vent 222 is in an openconfiguration. As shown in FIG. 8, the bias members 228 compriseresilient members attached to the garment 220 generally adjacent to orat the sides 230 and 232 of the opening 224 of the vent 222. Theresilient bias members 228 resist the sides 230 and 232 from beingbrought together. Thus, unlike the above, bias members 228 are undercompression.

The closure mechanism, such as zipper 226, overcomes the resilientforces of the bias members 228, aligns the two sides 230 and 232 of theopening 224 and thus closes the opening 224 of the vent 222. When theclosure mechanism is opened, however, the resilient forces impacted bythe bias members 228 push the sides 230 and 232 away from each other andthus bias the sides 230 and 232 of the vent 222 in an openconfiguration.

While the bias members 228 of the vent 222 are shown extending generallyperpendicular to a centerline 240 of the opening 224 of the vent 222,the bias members 228 may also be attached to the garment 220 at anyother angle from the centerline 240 of the opening 224 sufficient tobias the sides 230 and 232 of the opening 224 away from each other. Theresilient members may comprise, for example, springs or other knownresilient members known in the art. In one embodiment, for example, aspring may be inserted into a sleeve of material and attached to thegarment 220 so that the spring is compressed when the vent is in aclosed configuration and will impart a resilient force to bias the sides230 and 232 of the opening 224 apart from each other.

FIG. 9 shows yet another embodiment of the biased opening constructionof a garment 320 of the present invention. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 9, the bias member 328 comprises a cord 338 that extends along atleast a portion of the opening 324 of the garment 320. The cord 338, forexample, may pass through a sleeve 342 generally adjacent to the sides330 and 332 of the opening 324 as shown in FIG. 9. The cord 338 may bepositioned along at least a portion of side 330, side 332 or sides 330and 332 (as shown in FIG. 9). The cord may comprise an elastic ornon-elastic cord. The garment 320 may further comprise a cord lock 340that may be used by a wearer to adjust the positioning of the cord 338along the opening 324.

In this embodiment, a wearer may adjust the size of the opening 324 byadjusting the position of the cord 338 in the cord lock 340. By pullingthe cord 338 through the cord lock 340, a wearer may pull the sides 330and 332 of the opening apart from each other by causing first end 320 fand second end 320 s to move towards each other in a pinching typemovement. The wearer may also adjust the size of the opening 324 byreleasing the cord 338 back through the cord lock 340 and into thesleeve 342.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various other changes in the form anddetails may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. A garment comprising: a garment having an inner surface, an outersurface opposite the inner surface, and an opening extending through atleast a portion of the garment; a closure mechanism, the closuremechanism having a closed position and an open position; and a biasmember attached to the garment for biasing the opening towards an openconfiguration; wherein the when the closure mechanism is in the closedposition, the closure mechanism overcomes the biasing of the bias memberto close the opening, and when the closure mechanism is in the openposition, the bias member causes the opening to open.
 2. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the opening comprises a vent.
 3. The garment of claim2, wherein the opening extends through the inner and outer surface ofthe garment.
 4. The garment of claim 2, further comprising a breathablefabric traversing a portion of the opening.
 5. The garment of claim 4,wherein the breathable fabric comprises a mesh material.
 6. The garmentof claim 1, wherein the opening comprises a pocket.
 7. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the opening extends through the inner and outer surfaceof the garment for accessing through the garment.
 8. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the bias member comprises an elastic member.
 9. Thegarment of claim 8, wherein the elastic member extends along andgenerally adjacent to at least a portion of the opening.
 10. The garmentof claim 9, wherein the elastic member is attached to the garment at afirst generally adjacent to the opening and at a second end generallyadjacent to the opening.
 11. The garment of claim 9, wherein the elasticmember is under tension between the first end and the second end whenthe opening is in a closed configuration.
 12. The garment of claim 9,further comprising a sleeve and the elastic member extends at leastpartially through a sleeve.
 13. The garment of claim 12, wherein thesleeve extends generally parallel to the opening of the garment.
 14. Thegarment of claim 8, wherein the elastic member is attached to thegarment at a first end generally adjacent to the opening of the garmentand at a second end located away from the opening.
 15. The garment ofclaim 15, wherein the elastic member is under tension between the firstend and the second end when the opening is in a closed configuration.16. The garment of claim 8, wherein the elastic member is attached tothe garment at a first end on one side of the opening and at a secondend on another side of the opening and wherein the elastic member isunder compression when the opening is in a closed configuration.
 17. Thegarment of claim 1, wherein the bias member comprises a resilientmember.
 18. The garment of claim 17, wherein the resilient membercomprises a spring.
 19. The garment of claim 18, wherein the resilientmember comprises a first end attached to the garment generally adjacenta first edge of the opening and a second end attached to the garmentgenerally adjacent a second edge of the opening.
 20. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the bias member comprises a cord having a first endattached to the garment generally adjacent the opening of the garment.21. The garment of claim 20, wherein the cord is at least partiallydisposed generally parallel to the opening of the garment.
 22. Thegarment of claim 21, wherein the cord extends within a protectivechannel attached to the garment.
 23. The garment of claim 20, whereinthe cord extends through a cord lock for selectively adjusting thelength of the cord disposed generally adjacent the opening of thegarment.
 24. The garment of claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism is azipper.
 25. A garment comprising: a garment having an inner surface, anouter surface opposite the inner surface, and an opening extendingthrough at least a portion of the garment; the opening having a firstside and a second side; a zipper coupled to the opening for opening andclosing the opening; and means for separating the first side from thesecond side such that the first side and the second side tend to moveapart when the zipper is unzipped.
 26. The garment of claim 25, whereinthe means for separating comprises at least one elastic member undertension disposed along at least one side of the opening selected fromthe group of sides consisting of: the first side and the second side.27. The garment of claim 26, wherein the at least one elastic member isdisposed on the inner surface.
 28. The garment of claim 26, wherein theat least one elastic member is disposed on the outer surface.
 29. Thegarment of claim 27, further comprising a breathable fabric traversingat least a portion of the opening and the at least one elastic memberdisposed on the inner surface inhibits the breathable fabric fromfouling the zipper.
 30. The garment of claim 25, wherein the means forseparating comprises at least one elastic member under compressiondisposed across the opening.
 31. The garment of claim 25, wherein themeans for separating comprises a cord coupled to a first end of theopening and extending along the opening such that pulling on the cordcauses the first end to move towards the second end to open the opening.32. The garment of claim 25, wherein the means for separating comprisesat least one elastic member under tension wherein a first end of the atleast one elastic member is disposed proximate the opening and a secondend of the at least one elastic member is disposed distal the opening.